Is This the Most Overlooked Part of Bible Study?
Speaking from my own experience - I think it is.
I bought Meditations - a book of personal writings by Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (AD 161-180) - yesterday (it was only $.50 on Kindle!) and came across something he said that got me thinking.
In listing various principles he had learned from an individual, Marcus Aurelius said this:
“To read carefully, and not to be satisfied with a superficial understanding of a book.”
A superficial understanding is an understanding that occurs at the surface. It’s an understanding that says, “I’ve got the main ideas down - I’m good now.”
There is no desire to grow the understanding in someone content with a superficial understanding.
I believe this is our most common problem in Bible study.
Too many of us are satisfied with a “surface-level understanding” of God’s Word.
To “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18) requires more than just a “surface-level understanding.”
Paul urges Timothy to “study” (KJV) or “be diligent” to present himself before God as an approved worker (2 Timothy 2:15). Great effort implies diving deeper into the Word of God past a surface-level understanding.
The writer of Hebrews wrote to Christians who should have grown - but instead, they were still at a surface-level understanding of God’s Word.
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:12-14)
Being disciples of Jesus Christ means we are “enrolled as students” in the Master Teacher’s school (Matthew 28:18-20).
Whether we have just obeyed the gospel or been a Christian for many years, we should all desire to grow in our understanding of God’s Word - of God’s Book.
Don’t be satisfied with simply having a “surface-level” knowledge of God’s Word. Seek to dive deeper and grow.